Tuesday, April 24, 2012

C4T #4

How to Develop Public Speaking Skills Online

Angela Maiers Educational Services

Public speaking is one of the most effective ways to communicate ideas and
persuade people to understand your point of view. However, if you have
never spoken in public before, or just have anxiety towards doing so, you
may have trouble with the idea of giving a speech to a group of people. Now
you can let go of that fear because there are ways to learn how to develop
public speaking skills online.
One way to develop your public speaking skills is to look for an online class
devoted to the topic. If there is no in-person class in your area, find an
online class that teaches public speaking skills. Several colleges offer online
public speaking courses, including the University of Wisconsin. Its
Introduction to Public Speaking course covers speech composition, delivery
and effective listening skills and can help you gather the poise and
confidence to become a better public speaker. It requires you to be able to
record video clips and post them online with the use of a webcam, helping
you learn different methods of speaking in front of an audience. Although
the course may seem basic and lacking in content, prominent programs
such as traditional or online MBA programs value their students’ abilities to
be able to speak in public and persuade consumers or shareholders.
If you cannot afford a college course, you can still take public speaking
lessons online for free. One such site, School for Champions, offers a full
spectrum of topics related to public speaking, including setting goals,
preparing to speak, showing confidence in your delivery, and satisfying your
audience. It even suggests ways to make money as a public speaker.
If you dislike the structure of a classroom, you can still learn to speak in
public by reading as many articles as you can about the subject. Stephen M.
Fournier’s website focuses on the art and science of rhetoric and how
speakers use their skills effectively. In addition, his site contains pointers
about body language, speech writing, vocal intonation, and how to
overcome nervousness.
Most importantly, you need to practice the skills you learn in order to
develop them and keep them sharp. Just as a photographer can only take
better pictures through practice, you can only become good public speaker
when you practice the skills you learn from one of these online sources. If
you want to practice using a pre-written speech, the Internet is full of
historical speeches you can use to improve your skills. The History Place
offers a collection of historically significant speeches, from Patrick
Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech to Winston
Churchill’s “Their Finest Hour” speech to President George W. Bush’s first
address to the American people after 9/11.
When you know what skills you need to speak in public effectively, you can
overcome your fear of public speaking through study and practice. The
Internet is a great place to gather the resources needed to start gaining the
experience needed to speak in public.

I have had many problems with public speaking. I am a really quiet laid back kind of guy. Fortunately I have already taken and passed it. In the article above many great pionts were made. Practicing the skills you learn will help you become a great public speaker. You can now actually take public speaking online now. Free courses are also offered online. I would definately take advantage of that oppertunity.

You Matter

In Angela Maiers video she puts a huge emphasis on the phrase "You Matter". She tells the story of an encounter she had at the airport that shows that sometimes that people don’t get the recognition that they sometimes need. She along with many other people were in distress and a lady named Annie came along and helped them. Annie had noticed that their struggle and did whatever she could to help them. This is where Angela Maiers gets her theme for the video from. After Annie had helped Angela and the others, Angela wanted to do something to show her appreciation for her. Angela wanted to tell her supervisor of the good deeds of Annie but Annie was the supervisor. She had felt like she never got any recognition not that she expected it. As the video goes on she explains that everyone should feel significant in their lives. She states that one student would leave her classroom without feeling noticed, trusted, or depended on. Just by simply noticing someone could change their day or even their life. The main point she is trying to get across in the video is to explain that two words could change a person’s life. Each person should know that they are significant and has a calling and could possibly change the world. We should value each other. Teachers should value students. Students should value teachers. With this type of relationship the sky is the limit for educational opportunities.